President Peter Mutharika’s absence without leave in Malawi two weeks after attending the United Nations General Assembly has dominated headlines in Malawi press and the editorial comments after widespread rumours, including allegations that he is in critical condition at a hospital in the US.

Malawian President Mutharika : Missing in action

Two of Malawi dailies, The Nation and the Daily Times wrote articles about Mutharika’s whereabout mystery as government spokesman Malison Ndau gave a default explanation that the Head of State is in robust heath and on official duties in America.

But The Nation editorial comment screamed “Stop these lies” title, saying Malawians have the right to know the whereabouts of their leader accusing the state machinery of not helping matters as the information about the President is “almost non-existent.”

The paper quoted what Ndau, who is also minister of information and communication, said last Friday that Mutharika was due to return home over the weekend and would open the Malawi Investment Forum in Lilongwe which was opened by vice president Saulos Chilima.

“Wherever he is, the President is spending funds from the public purse, raised through taxes. It is for this reason that Malawians have the right to know where their president is, what he is doing,” reads the editorial in The Nation.

The paper said false statement form government machinery are “tantamount to disrespecting of Malawians by those entrusted with the authority to run the affairs of this state.”

And the flagship Daily Times said in its editorial that government “has itself to blame” on Mutharika rumours.

The paper said nature abhors vacuum, saying when information is not forthcoming, people begin to come up with conspiracy theories to make sense of the absence of credible information.

It also said Malawians have every right derived from the Constitution to question, and in the absence of official communication, speculate about the President’ whereabouts.

The editorial said Mutharika has breached the three pillars that he tries to “force down” on Malawians.

“He is not being patriotic, he is not showing any form of integrity or indeed a spirit of hard work that would have seen him being home to solve the numerous problems riddling this country,” reads the editorial comment.

He warned Malawians that spreading false rumours about the health of the President is a criminal offense, warning that government will not hesitate to bring to book those responsible for “rumour-mongering which is clearly aimed at spreading fear and panic among law abiding Malawians.”

Ndau said the nation will be advised in the next few days regarding the dates Mutharika will return home, assuring that there is therefore no need to panic.

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DPP Supporter # 1

The guy is American first. Elections are just around the corner and he is busy strategising fo the Republican candidate. He is a bonafide citizen fro America and has to vote before coming to his devastated second country. Peter is a DPP president, he is not for Malawi coz if he was for Malawi why DPP ministers are shielding him as if he has sold Lake Malawi to TZ. We all fall sick and if he is sick, is it anything new to Malawians. Cry my beloved DPP. My blood is DPP but I will not allow and praise stupidity.… Read more »

The guy is serving his American Green card, he will surface after 30 days!

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1 year ago

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The Patriot

The ruling elite think they can do anything without informing Malawians or being accountable to the taxpayers! The President thinks he is entitled to AWOL and no Malawian deserves to know where he is now!
Where is integrity, patriotism and hard work? Are these so called pillars only for villagers but not the palace and the ruling fat cats?
If Malawi continues to be ruled by such caliber of leaders then we should just forget it, we will remain at the bottom interms odf development! Its time our leaders knww who the real boss is, the electorate and ÑOT them!

Its my first time to hear from Malawi journalists that a plane has been chartered to get someone dead from Malawi to USA, kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk,hopefuly are MIJI not MIJ journalists.If i tell you is on holiday,you shall start calculating the figures,iam happy my big has chosen to remain quite from these stupid,english incompetent journalists.

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1 year ago

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Ause Mu Mtendere Peter

i understand he is on coma right now, and if not let him speak to malawians kuti ndili moyo ine ana anga, if he cant he is on coma

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1 year ago

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Eugene

Midnight Six thief wasting our money

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1 year ago

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Rasta

Our thing is missing in action.You mean all these journalists cant search him? we are again waiting for BBC and Aljazeera to tell us huh? We nah being serious guruz. We haffi hear him ah dead hahaha. suh nah blame us wen we seh him ah dead.

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1 year ago

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winston msowoya

There is no difference whether Peter stays in the States or in Malawi.He doesn’t give a shit because USA is his first homeland,he has fat Bank Accounts there and sons who are living decent life on stolen funds from government coffers.It seems Malawians have stone brains that can not make them think correctly.We could have learnt from Banda’s instance,Kanyama and Masauko invited the rogue they had never seen before and the ramifications had been tumultuously divisive and misguided turning Malawians into ciphers.As if we did not see or feel what Banda did to us,Bakili Muluzi,introduced to us someone he had… Read more »